Incidents on land and water : or, Four years on the Pacific coast; being…
"Incidents on Land and Water: or, Four Years on the Pacific Coast; being..." by Mrs. D. B. Bates is a historical narrative written in the mid-19th century. The book recounts the real-life adventures of the author as she journeys by sea and land, facing shipwrecks, fires, and numerous perils while traveling along the Pacific Coast. It provides a personal account of survival, cultural encounters, and daily life during a time of great
migration and maritime risk. The narrative is told from a first-person perspective, focusing on Mrs. Bates's own experiences as the central figure. The opening of "Incidents on Land and Water" introduces Mrs. Bates’s childhood in Massachusetts and quickly shifts to her decision to accompany her seafaring husband on an adventurous and hazardous journey. Early chapters detail their departure from Baltimore on the coal-laden ship Nonantum, vivid descriptions of life at sea, and the camaraderie among the crew and animals aboard ship. Disaster soon strikes as the Nonantum catches fire during a storm, forcing the crew and passengers into a perilous situation before seeking refuge at the remote and stormy Falkland Islands. The narrative then follows a relentless sequence of dangers: fires aboard successive ships, dramatic rescues, and survival on a desolate Peruvian beach, all interwoven with reflections on hope, home, and the unpredictability of life. Throughout, the writing is rich in personal observation and period detail, drawing readers into the everyday triumphs and hardships of mid-19th-century maritime travel. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Bates, D. B. (Dolly B.), 1826-1908 |
|---|---|
| Title | Incidents on land and water : or, Four years on the Pacific coast; being a narrative of the burning of the ships Nonantum, Humayoon, and Fanchon, together with many startling and interesting adventures on sea and land |
| Edition | Eighth edition |
| Original Publication | Boston: Published for the Author, 1860. |
| Note | Reading ease score: 67.4 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Credits | Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) |
| Summary | A native of Kingston, Massachusetts, Mrs. Bates sailed to California in 1850 on board the Nonantum, a coaler commanded by her husband. On reaching that state, the Bateses undertook hotelkeeping in Marysville, 1851-1854. Incidents on land and water (1857) contains Mrs. Bates's hair-raising account of her voyage to California, when fires forced the scuttling of three ships on which the Bateses sailed. Mrs. Bates recounts hardships of the mining town, with special attention to the life of women and children in the camps, and gives details of a tour of the Sacramento Valley. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | F850.5: United States local history: Pacific States |
| Subject | California -- Description and travel |
| Subject | Voyages to the Pacific coast |
| Subject | Urbanization -- California |
| Subject | Real estate development -- California |
| Subject | Business -- California |
| Subject | California -- Gold discoveries |
| Subject | Ethnic groups -- California |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 75851 |
| Release Date | Apr 13, 2025 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 492 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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